He Was There: A Response to a Tragedy

Just as every other American is doing right now, I have been processing and responding to the Sandy Hook school tragedy that took place last Friday on December 14th, 2012. As you all know, the media has been obsessed with this tragedy, and rightfully so; but as a result, it is getting delivered to us again and again, whether it be through Facebook, the news or conversations with friends and family. The more it gets delivered, the more it gives us opportunities to think and process about this unthinkable event, which in turn gives us time to think and process about our response to this horrific tragedy. 

I think my greatest personal struggle in being exposed to this tragedy is to experience what this means as a Christian. My relationship with Jesus Christ is the foundation of my life. Without Him, I would most definitely be dead or be living a life in which would represent death with a pulse. Just like any believer, I have wrestled with the classic atheist question/challenge "If there really is a loving God, why does He allow so many horrible things to happen to such good people?". If there really is a loving God, than how could He possibly allow a mentally ill and demonically tormented gunman come to in and shoot down His precious babies and their heroic teachers? Why?

I don't know the answer, and I have been pressing into Jesus in faith that it is enough that He is the one who does know the answer. However, one thing that I do know is that despite the ignorant comments of Christians and non-Christians alike, God was there. As followers of Christ who have made a commitment and have given our lives to serve and follow Jesus, it is critical that we do not abandon the truth that God is God, and and we are not.  It gives me great comfort to know that I am unable to foresee the future, and why things happen the way that they do. I know that it would be too much for my tiny, limited brain to be able to wrap around the purpose of tragedy and pain. However, I also know that if I chose not to follow Christ and to rely on my own intellect/ experience and the intellect/experience of others, these things would still happen. I can't imagine experiencing a tragedy like this without the hope of knowing that God is in control, and that without Him and apart from Him, we can do no good thing and truthfully, we mine as well not be living at all.

As a child of God, I am ashamed to hear believers make ignorant and false statements that this school shooting happened because we are "kicking God out of schools, government and our country". To give satan and the reality of evil that much credit makes me sick to my stomach, and makes me want to gather all of those brothers and sisters in Christ who have adapted that form of thinking and shake them all simultaneously until the truth that they know to be true finds its way back to their brain cells. For those of us who were not directly affected by this tragedy, it is critical that we stand firm in our faith and who we know God to be, as the families, friends, churches and general community of this small town in Connecticut need us on our knees as they walk through this grief and unshakable pain. To put it very bluntly, there should be no time to assert political opinions about gun control and the resentment of our government/country removing God from our schools, as all of that time and energy should be spent in fervent prayer. Your selfishness and desire to express your angry opinion has it's place, but to put that ahead of prayer and support is sickening. Period.

My God defeated hell and the power of the devil. My God actually descended into the fiery pits of hell and died a physical, torturous death on the cross to save me and all of mankind from the grips of evil. My God has brought incredible beauty, peace, truth and insight through tragedies of genocides all through the generations of this world. Thousands (if not millions of people) have come to Christ, have resisted taking their own lives and have been inspired to stand against what satan meant for evil, by dedicating their lives for what God meant for good. 

He was there. He had His hands on those little babes as they ran in terror from that shooter, and fell to their physical death, but into the mighty hands of the God who formed their very being. At the exact same time He placed His hands on the shoulders of the teachers as they pulled all of those children with all of their might into those class rooms. And especially now, He is there with those families who are mourning the death of their baby, rather than celebrating the joy of the Christmas season. He is there for those children who are experiencing survivor guilt, wondering why they are still alive, and not their class mate. He is there with those parents who do not know how to comfort their terrified children at night, and are experiencing stress that they never imagined they would have to experience as a parent. Yes ladies and gentleman, my God is THERE.

He was there in the barracks of the concentration camps, as satan moved through Hitler to murder thousands of innocent people. He was there as the children and thousands of family generations were wiped out by the hand of satan moving through Pol Pot during the genocide of the killing fields in Cambodia during the Vietnam War. He was there during 911, as the thousands of people in the Twin Towers began to suffocate from the fire that engulfed them. Yes my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I believe with all of my heart that HE WAS THERE.

Underestimating the power and reality of satan and evil in this world is stupid, but underestimating my Jesus? That is just plain horribly blasphemous. Never underestimate the power of my Jesus, especially at a time where so many people need us on our knees, believing for them that God is in control,because my guess is that they cannot do it on their own right now. 

"That people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things."-Isaiah 45:6-7

"For kingship belongs to the Lord, and He rules over the nations."- Psalm 22:28

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."-Joshua 1:9